The Palestinians In Their Own Words

Palestinian Quote Sheet #44

On death for land dealers:

"Our law is a Jordanian law that we inherited, which applies to both the West Bank and Gaza, and sets the death penalty for those who sell land to Israelis.... We are talking about a few traitors, and we shall implement against them what is written in the law books. It is our right and our obligation to defend our land."

--- Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat (Yediot Aharonot, 21 May 1997)

"This is a very dangerous act and there has been a decision to ban it by putting anyone who sells even a centimeter on swift trial and to seek the death penalty against them.... These people are traitors and Israel exploits them in expanding its settlements."

--- Palestinian Authority Justice Minister Freih Abu Middein (Agence France Presse, 5 May 1997)

"Whoever is found to have sold land to Jews, his punishment is death. It is forbidden to pray for him, it is forbidden to purify his body before burial, and it is forbidden to bury him in a Muslim cemetery."

--- Ikrama Sabri, Palestinian Authority mufti, Islamic religious leader, for Jerusalem (Yediot Aharonot, 20 May 1997)

On Israel's right to exist:

"Despite all the conspiracies, Jerusalem and Palestine from the River to the Sea will remain Islamic until judgment day...."

--- Ikrama Sabri, Palestinian Authority mufti for Jerusalem, in his weekly sermon at the Temple Mount's Al-Aksa Mosque. Reference is to the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, an area including all of the State of Israel. (Voice of Palestine Radio, 9 May 1997)

"The Zionist entity exists on seized land. The Jews remain enemies because they expropriate lands, build settlements and pay high sums to buy properties. They are the greatest enemies of us Muslims."

--- Ikrama Sabri, Palestinian Authority mufti for Jerusalem. "The Zionist entity" is a common euphemism used by those who do not recognize the legitimacy of the State of Israel. (The New York Times, 18 May 1997)

To Quote Sheet #43 | To a text file of all quote sheets | To Quote Sheet #45

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